Peter Gibbons goes to market

My name, for the purposes of this guest blogging stint at least, is Peter Gibbons.  I have known Mr David P Farrar for a considerable period of time, have been a regular reader of this blog since about Day 7 but have never actually had a blog of my own.  Over the next week or so I will be posting some thoughts about the issues that really matter – sports, food, media and pop culture – leaving the hard politics to my co-bloggers who, I’m presuming, are far more knowledgeable than I.

It is Sunday morning in Wellington and these days that means just one thing for any self-respecting or even aspiring foodie – time to hit the markets.  In the central city, the first stop should be the City Market in the Atrium of the Chaffers Building.  City Market was set up just two months ago by top chef Martin Bosley and Rachel Taulelei from Yellow Brick Road and, despite the often appalling Wellington weather, is increasingly popular with eager, yet spatially unaware, shoppers.  It is only open from 8:30am to 12:30pm on a Sunday.

The stalls showcase the best of local food and drink with bread, pate, sausages, fresh fish, Turkish delight, flowers, mineral water, wine, fruit juice, beer, produce, oysters, books, ever-changing hot dishes, bacon, crepes, sauces, oils, dips, mustards and much more battling for the shopper’s attention. 

One of the best aspects of the City Market is that the person behind the stall has to be involved in the production of whatever they are selling.  As a result, you tend to end up buying Martin Bosley’s inexplicably addictive almonds from… Martin Bosley himself. 

By my calculations, Pudding Lane will be at the market today.  I believe they make the best proper pork pies in the land and have every intention of “de-stocking” them of a couple. 

Virtually right door in the Te Papa car park is the more established Harbourside Market.  This market, which also only operates on Sunday, has a range of cheap vegetable and fruit stalls along with specialty stores and a number of places selling ready to eat food from pizza to dumplings. 

Over the Moon Cheeses are available there and their Goat’s Camembert is probably the best cheese I’ve had all year – and I try a lot of cheese.  It’s creamy, runny, unctuous and – for want of a better descriptor – deliciously goaty.  It certainly won’t be mistaken for a chunky, generic supermarket camembert anytime soon.

Time to end this first guest blog because even writing this has made hungry.

Peter Gibbons